The World in a Nutshell
by MoonrockBlink1772
Summary: One morning, Valerie Gray woke up in a nightmare world where she owned Danny Fenton, and Danny Fenton was Danny Phantom. One morning, another Valerie woke up and discovered the reverse. [DannyValerie][revised]
1. Prologue: Just a Feeling

Disclaimer: I do not own _Danny Phantom _or any characters affiliated.

**Prologue**

Alternate History, 2004-2006

_2004_:

-Maddie and Jack Fenton invent portal to Ghost Zone, effectively creating way for human beings to have legal slave labor. The reason they wanted this was unknown. Danny Fenton enters portal, turns it on, and becomes first known half ghost. Immediately disowned by parents and sold into slavery. Sister Jasmine Fenton sent to St. Marlo soon after.

-Danny sold to Gray family.

- Danny ceases any rebellion.

_2005_:

- Circus Gothica rolls into town, along with the 'Specter Stealer' Freakshow, who stole at least fifty-two ghosts (including Danny) from their owners with his magical crystal ball and forced them to rob jewelry stores, banks, and any other place valuable things might be kept for his benefit.

- Ghost shields become a normal part of any security package, preventing ghost-powered theft.

_2006_:

- Another ghost hybrid, multi-billionaire Vlad Masters is discovered in Madison, Wisconsin. He got off without fault by buying himself.

- Vlad almost perfects the process of cloning, only after borrowing Danny for extensive research, which included painful extraction of 'mid-morph DNA'. Flawed experiment comes out, an unstable, younger, and female version of Danny. Named 'Danielle' by the billionaire, who, being her creator, takes ownership of the clone.

- Jasmine Fenton falls into a coma while in St. Marlo. Reasons unknown.

---

FentonWorks Lab, April 4, 2004

"We're almost finished!" Jack Fenton bellowed, as his children hung their heads, covering their eyes.

"I thought slavery was supposed to be a bad thing?" his son whispered to his daughter.

"They're ghosts. They're not real. So there's nothing to worry about," the girl whispered back.

The other shrugged. "Good point, Jazz."

"Even if they are, Mom and Dad wouldn't let that happen . . . they're just too . . . Mom and Dad . . ." the one called Jazz reasoned. "I mean, what if one us used died, or something?"

"Definitely. Why are we worrying, anyway? It's not like this matters to us, anyway."

Jazz sighed. "Of course. I just have this feeling . . ."

Her brother looked at her. "Mm-hmm. Nothing's gonna happen. It won't be a repeat of the creep stick incident."

"Yeah, you're right, Danny. Nothing going to happen." She smiled. Danny laughed.

Maddie Fenton, the mother of the conversing pair, looked up from her welding work. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing, Mom. Jazz was just worried that something was gonna happen today."

Maddie chuckled. "You need to stop being so paranoid, sweetie. It's not going to end up another Fenton Anti-Creep Stick incident," she said, throwing a pointed glance at Jack.

As her mother turned back to her welding, Jazz smiled weakly, listening to yet another person telling her her paranoia was unreasonable. And on the surface of her mind, she really did agree. It was just paranoia.

But all the same, she had this feeling . . .


	2. Chapter One: A Bit of a Shocker

**Chapter One**

_Kauffman Apartments, April 19, 2006_

_Beep . . . beep . . . beep . . ._

There was a loud bang as Valerie shoved her fist down on her alarm clock, ungraciously causing a dent. "Stupid alarm . . ." she muttered under her breath, climbing out of bed and staggering over to her closet.

Straightening up a bit, and ineffectively attempting to press out a few wrinkles on her nightgown with her hands, she opened it up, revealing a lineup of her usual outfits. Choosing the one directly in front of her, she slipped it on, running downstairs.

Valerie saw her father sitting at the table, reading a newspaper and sipping some coffee. She slid in in front of Damon. "Morning, Dad. What's for breakfast?" she greeted.

"Fried eggs, pancakes, and toast."

Val blinked, smiling. "What's the occasion?"

Damon shrugged. "There isn't one."

She tilted her head, but didn't think much of it. "How long until it's ready, then?"

"Five minutes, if Danny doesn't mess up like yesterday . . ."

"Wha? What's Danny doing here? And he wasn't here yesterday."

Her father lowered his newspaper and looked at her. "Are you feeling all right, sweetie?"

"Yeah . . . why?" Valerie asked, confused.

"Danny's always with us."

Raising an eyebrow, Valerie peered at her father. "Is this part of another elaborate plan to get me to stop hunting ghosts?"

Damon scowled, narrowing his eyes. "What's this about you hunting ghosts?"

"Huh?" Valerie said, then thought. _Nice try, Dad._ "Oh, nothing, Dad. Just a stupid game I play."

His face softened, and he raised his paper again. "Okay . . ." He also seemed to have forgotten about Valerie's curiosity about Danny 'always being with them'. "Oh, yeah, we're going back home tomorrow. The renovations are almost done."

. . . What?

"Dad, this is our home."

Damien put his newspaper on the table again. "Is this part of your game, Val?"

"Uh . . . yeah . . ."

If this all _was _normal, and she was psycho, or something, Valerie didn't want anyone to know it. You can't hunt ghosts locked in an asylum.

"Okay, then." This man trusted her _way _too much.

Valerie heard footsteps, and she leaned over and looked behind her father. "Danny?" she asked incredulously.

_Meanwhile . . ._

_(normal universe)_

"Believe me, Mo - I mean Maddie, I'm not doing anything! And if I was, why would I bring her to you?"

This was infuriating. That pathetic little half-breed ghost was going on as if _she_ was acting weird. She'd run into him on the way to school, and demanded to know what he was doing.

After he'd explained, and she'd reacted (completely reasonably, she assumed), he'd taken her to the Fentons' house, and tried to explain to them that she was acting insane.

No, insane was a completely servile half-ghost boy who'd been disowned by his family running to them and saying that his mistress was completely nuts.

_This _was insane. Very insane.

"Explain to this miserable ghost that I own him, and you disowned him two years ago."

Jack and Maddie were torn between pointing their Fenton Bazookas at Danny and gazing hesitantly at Valerie.

"Valerie . . . I really don't know what you're talking about."

Blinking, Valerie scratched the back of her head. "Are you playing with me, Mrs. Fenton?"

"No, dear. I think we should call your father . . ."

"No! There's nothing wrong with me!"

"Valerie . . ."

Val gave a low growl and ran out the door. "_There's nothing wrong with me_!" she yelled.

"Gee, when did she get so bratty?" Danny asked, rhetorically.

Maddie glared at Danny, and he looked down at himself, blinked, and grinned sheepishly for some reason. "I'm going, I'm going . . ."

He flew through the wall, and off to do . . . whatever it was ghosts did.

"Valerie!" the ghost called after her. Still fuming, Valerie ignored her 'slave,' and continued running, until she stopped and started panting.

"Leave me alone, Danny! I don't want to hear your sass!"

She'd say it a million times, really, if the person she was talking to wasn't too far down the social food chain. This was _insane_. Really, really _insane_.

"Just listen to me! Either there's something really wrong with you or . . ." he stopped in mid-sentence, seeming to realize something. "I'll see you later," he said suddenly.

Flying off as fast as he could, Danny left Valerie's presence. Her energy suddenly returning, she dashed off in the direction of her mansion . . .

Which, as it turned out, wasn't there. But that was even _more _insane. Her father had it commissioned a manor to be build right _there_, a _year_ ago, after he became CEO of the security company for which he worked.

Valerie collapsed to her knees. "What the heck is going on?" she wailed. She saw her friend Paulina approaching, and she stopped crying, standing up and brushing her skirt off. "PAULINA! My mansion's gone and even the Fentons are saying I don't own Danny . . ."

Paulina carefully meandered around Valerie. "Freak . . ." she said, disgusted.

Valerie shut her eyes, breathed deep, and turned around to face the empty plot of land where her house should be.

Opening her eyes, she realized it still wasn't there.


	3. Chapter Two: Lost Bearings

**Chapter Two**

_Kauffman Apartments, April 19, 2006_

". . .Danny?" Valerie asked incredulously.

Danny was carrying two platters of breakfast food, dressed in a ragtag grey shirt and pants (which only seemed to stay up because of a piece of twine tied around his waist), wearing no shoes, and had a strange choker necklace around his neck. His hair was messier than usual, and deep bags lined his eyes.

"Yes, milady?" he asked meekly, placing the trays on the table and beginning to pass out food.

Valerie was unable to reply.

"She's having a rough morning, Dan. Give me some more of that toast."

"Yes, milord . . ."

"How . . . what . . . why . . . what?" Valerie finally managed to spit out.

"I said I wanted more toast."

"Not that, Dad. The . . . and the . . . yeah . . ." Confusion had practically shut down the ordinarily-composed girl's mind.

Danny turned to her, keeping his head bowed low, and a plate of eggs balanced on his right palm. "Is there something about the meal that displeases you, milady?"

"No . . yeah . . . well . . . Why are you . . . you know . .. Serving . . . breakfast . . . dressed . . .well . . . no . . . yeah . . ."

"I am sorry, I do not understand, milady."

Damien was shaking his head. "She's been strange all morning," he said.

"Yeah . . . neither . . . me. Talk . . . weird. Why?" Her attempted sentences were beginning to become more coherent. Not by much.

"Again, I am sorry, I do not understand, milady."

"Milady. Why? Dream . . . yeah. Dream . . ."

Danny lowered his head farther, as though he was ashamed of not being able to understand her crazed babbles.

It wouldn't be best to blame Valerie, however. Her life was straightforward: wake up, eat, school, fight ghosts, home, eat, fight ghosts, sleep. Danny, now, was dressed in second-hand quality clothing, calling her milady, and talking with the impeccable grammar no teenaged boy ever should. Not to mention her dad's odd behavior.

The mind can only take so much confusion, after all. And the more routine your life is, the easier it is to get confused.

"Yeah. Okay. Right. Why you call me milady? What with the proper speak? And . . . clothes? Why you here?"

Danny bit his lip, now just as thoroughly befuddled as Valerie. "Milady, do you wish me to change my behavior? Is it not good enough for you? I will alter myself if you so desire . . ."

Pushing Danny out of the way, Damien leaned over and held his forehead to Valerie's forehead. "Are you okay, sweetie?"

Meanwhile, Danny struggled not to drop his plate of eggs.

At long last the haze of bewilderment ascended from her mind. "I'm fine, Dad. Just confused . . . why is Danny acting so . . . not Danny?"

"What do you mean?" Damien asked, concerned.

"All, you know, 'milady' and with the horrible clothes . . ."

"Valerie . . . please tell me this is part of your game."

Her desire to stay out of St. Marlo lost in the game against her curiosity. "No, it's just that _something _is seriously messed up."

Damien peered at his daughter, concern evident on his face. "I'll call the doctors, Val. Danny . . . put those eggs down, and tell Valerie what's going on. I think she's lost her bearings."

Placing the plate on the table, Danny bowed to Valerie's father and replied, "Yes, milord."

Damien rushed out of the room, muttering. Danny stood in front of Valerie, just sitting there, staring at him like he had grown horns and was holding a pitchfork. "What the heck did you do with Danny?"

"Nothing, milady. Will you allow me to carry out Master Gray's request, if you will?" he said, without the hint of annoyance that might have been there if . . . if he was _actually _Danny.

"Sure . . ." Valerie agreed hesitantly.

"It is breakfast, milady, which I was serving as I rightfully should, to you, Master and Mistress Grey, humans, superior beings. You seem to be acting as Master Grey thinks you shouldn't." He recited it like a memorized speech.

". . . Huh?" She couldn't get past one little part of that sentence. "Danny, aren't you human?"

"I am half human, milady."

"What's the other half?" Did she really want to know?

"Ghost, milady."

Shaking her head, Valerie replied, "Excuse me, what?"

"Ghost, mil . . ."

"I heard you!" Val exclaimed. She paused for a moment, and her eyes became thoughtful. Then she laughed. "Now I _know _this is a dream. No one can be half human and half ghost at the same time."

"If you don't wish me to be, I could always . . ."

Realizing what he was about to say, Valerie cut in. "No, that won't be . . . necessary." She ran a hand through her thick black hair. "Yeah, so, can you, like, prove you're half ghost, or whatever?"

Danny nodded hesitantly, and closed his eyes, and concentrated for what seemed like the longest time. A blue ring appeared at his waist, and slowly split in two, moving upward and downward, until all that was left of Danny was . . .

Phantom.

_Meanwhile_ . . .

_(ordinary universe)_

Valerie shut her eyes, breathed deeply, and turned around to face the empty plot of land where her house should be.

Opening her eyes, she realized it still wasn't there.

She rushed back to the Fentons, barging in right when they were eating. "You were right," she mumbled, sliding into a free chair at the table. "I'm going insane."

Then she looked up, Danny was looking at her funny (she knew why, even if no one else did. She got the impression they didn't know about his _inferiority_.), Maddie was looking at her, concerned, and Jack was still eating. None of that came as much of a shock as someone sitting there that shouldn't be.

"Jazz?" she asked innocently. "When did you get back from St. Marlo?"

Blinking, Jazz slid the fork out of her mouth. "What?"

"St. Marlo. You were there, and in a coma . . . and now you're back . . . I'm glad."

Danny covered his mouth with his napkin to hide his snicker, and looked at Jazz to see her reaction.

"Valerie . . . I've never been to St. Marlo," the redhead said carefully. "If anything, I think you need to take a look at the possibility that . . ."

Val leaned on her elbow. "I got it. I'm going insane."

"Been there, done that," Danny told her. "Besides, no schizophrenic could ever be as bad as Dad was after the Fenton Anti-Creep Stick incident."

Jazz started to giggle. "You got that right."

Staring, Valerie put her face on the table. "So, like, I'm poor, unpopular, you're not crazy, and Danny isn't half ghost and my slave?"

Danny spit out his food, closely followed by Jazz. Maddie, who'd been listening to the kids' conversation with vague interest, gave Valerie a worried look. Jack, again, kept on eating.

"Wha . . . what about the . . . half-ghost . . . thing? That's ridiculous," Danny said nervously.

"And your slave? That's crazy," Jazz added, though much more confidently.

Lifting her head, the poor, misplaced girl gazed at everybody. "What's St. Marlo's phone number?"

Jazz shook her head. "I'm sure you're fine."

"You weren't so sure before."

"Well, if you think you're going insane, you can't be. It's like catch twenty-two," Danny put in for his sister.

Valerie couldn't believe how . . . normal he was acting. He was acting he did when his ghost half was activated. Only less malevolent.

Shrugging, Danny's sister turned back to Valerie. "Danny's right, anyway. You can't know you're going nuts. Is it possible you just had a long, complex dream and now you've mistaken it for reality?"

Valerie smiled. "That must be it. I'm not crazy. The half-ghost thing _was _a bit extreme, wasn't it?"

"Yeah," Danny and Jazz replied in unison, with Danny giving off a fidgety laugh.

Danny leaned in to his sister's ear just before Valerie got out the door. "I'll tell you what I learned from Clockwork later."

Raising an eyebrow, but opting not to pursue it at the moment, Valerie left the house wondering.

Who or what's Clockwork and what did Danny learn from him/it?


	4. Chapter Three: In a Flash

**Chapter Three**

_Kauffman Apartments, April 19, 2006_

A blue ring appeared at his waist, and slowly split in two, moving upward and downward, until all that was left of Danny was . . .

Phantom.

"You . . . you . . . you're . . ." Valerie stuttered.

"A ghost?" Danny said, smirking mischievously.

"Valerie, the doctors will be here shortly - holy crud . . ." Damon exclaimed. "Val . . . what did you tell Danny to do? You know he's not supposed to become a ghost or else . . ."

"I'm dangerous. I know. Shut up," Danny said. "You may have broken in my weaker half, but _I'm_ still here."

Valerie couldn't help it. She grinned. "You're normal!" she yelped. "This world isn't as messed up as I thought it was!"

Turning towards Valerie, he gave her a confused look. "You're not . . . afraid of me?"

"No. Should I be, ghost?" The way she addressed him came due to habit.

He flew in close to her face. "You should be," he hissed. "You should be."

Valerie smirked, closed her eyes, reaching deep inside herself and pulling out her new ghost fighting suit. "No. You should be. Danny or no, you're still the Phantom and . . ."

Danny held up a hand and interrupted her. "The Phantom? Ooh, I like that one. I didn't have a name before . . ."

"I think I liked meek Danny better than you . . . heck . . . I think I like any Danny better than you."

Valerie didn't notice the added malevolence in his voice, as she'd always imagined it was there, anyway.

Damon jumped in between the ghost and the huntress. "Valerie, what's going on?"

Valerie rolled her eyes. "I'm kind of saving your butt here, so . . ."

Grinning sheepishly, her father stepped out of the way. Then his look turned reprimanding. "Just don't let this become a repeat of the anti-creep stick incident, Val."

Valerie nodded. "Erm . . . Dad . . ."

"Right. Shutting up now."

Turning back to the newly-named Phantom, Valerie peered at her opponent, for once not sure that she could bring him down if she got the chance.

Yeah, this was either a dream or a creepy alternate reality she'd gotten stuck in for some reason (probably ghost related), and in her world Danny wasn't her arch-enemy (that wasn't a thought she would think of entertaining), still . . . other-Danny was meek and servile and . . . _not _Phantom. Neither was her Danny, of course, but hurting that boy would be like killing Sayonara Pussycat.

Grinning maliciously, Phantom charged at her, ready to strike. Valerie dodged out of the way just in time, and activated her jet sled.

Damon just watched, petrified. When had this all happened, and how had he not noticed?

She pulled an ecto-pistol from her utility belt and held it up, perfect aim. Still, she couldn't shoot.

"Yeah, I have that effect on people," the ghost whispered in her ear, suddenly right next to her.

"Wha . . . how?"

Ignoring the question, Phantom scooped her up by the waist, effectively removing her from the hover board. "Let's go for a little ride, shall we?"

It took her a while to realize it, but she finally noticed the dark quality his voice dripped. The Phantom from her world . . . or the real world . . . was satirical, but not this venomous.

As they left the house, Valerie heard her father curse. "Why did I forget to turn on the ghost shield?"

High above the clouds, now, Phantom and Val gazed down onto the town. She felt his grip on her loosen, and she peered up at him fearfully. But his gaze seemed to have softened, actually, and the look in his neon green eyes was wistful. "I loved this town . . . when I was human . . ."

Suddenly feeling the need to comfort the ghost, Valerie put an arm around Phantom's neck. "You are human . . . Danny." Then a wave of inspiration struck. "Can I tell you what it's like where I . . . remember?"

Shrugging, Phantom stopped his flight. "Why not? Just don't take too long . . . I can't hold the transformation for too long."

"Yeah . . . okay . . . Before I start, why'd you suddenly start being so . . . nice?"

"I haven't been outdoors in two years. Well . . . for like, five minutes, but that was just moving from the transport truck to inside another building . . . I guess . . . it just . . ."

Valerie nodded. "I get it. In my world, if I'm really in an alternate dimension, ghosts aren't slaves to humans. They pretty much go where they please . . . They're evil . . . like you . . ."

Phantom laughed. "Evil?" he asked rhetorically, though not angrily. "I'm just a bit angry at the girl who's _owned _me for two years."

"I don't remember a bit of it, honestly!"

She didn't notice it, but he gave her a long, hard stare. "I believe you, somehow."

Suddenly tensing, Valerie scratched the back of her suit. "This moment was certainly . . . sudden. One moment you're kidnapping me and the next we're talking as if we're friends."

"We're not friends."

"I know . . . Hey, if I find a way to go back to my world, would you like to come? You'd have to do something about the . . . anger . . . but that shouldn't be hard."

Shrugging, Phantom turned his gaze away from the ghost hunter. "Why not?"

"You have to stop saying that . . ."

"You're not the boss of me . . . Well technically, ah, who cares?"

Suddenly the ring of light appeared at his waist again, turning Phantom back into Fenton. Valerie blinked as she and Danny began to fall, and kicked her feet together. The extra jet sled.

"Thank you, milady . . ." Danny said, apparently very nervous.

"Don't. Really. Stop calling me milady. It's Valerie."

"Yes, mil - Valerie." He just replaced 'milady' with 'Valerie' in his head. Valerie sighed mentally.

"Do you remember the conversation we just had? Do you remember what it's like to be Phantom?" Valerie asked. How could he just switch personalities like that, so easily?

His eyes fogging for a moment, Danny failed to answer abruptly. "Yes, Valerie."


	5. Chapter Four: Abnormal Normalcy

**Chapter Four**

_Casper High, April 20, 2006_

_(ordinary universe)_

Who or what's Clockwork and what's Danny learned from he/it?

Valerie was officially confused, as she watched a gothic Samantha Manson play basketball with Danny Fenton (him having a last name still sort of creeped her out), and some boy she didn't recognize, but was obviously one of the unpopular kids.

Samantha Manson didn't associate with these sorts of people. She was just as preppy as Paulina and -

"Hey, Valerie, wanna come over here?" Danny called. "We're starting a new game and Tuck's tired of playing two against one."

Why the nerve of him . . . she opened her mouth to call him impudent, then realized this wasn't the world she was used to for the umpteenth time.

Tucker scowled visibly from across the gym, and said something to Danny. Giving a last fleeting glance at Paulina and her group of friends, who were trying out the balance beam, Valerie stood up and yelled back,. "Fine!"

As she drew nearer, she heard Samantha say something to Danny. "Are you sure you want to get her near you? You said she knows your secret and that she's been acting crazy."

Danny shrugged. "None of the popular kids'll believe her. Besides, Clockwork told me . . ."

Valerie walked up and tapped his shoulder. "Who's Clockwork?"

Gulping, Danny pointed to Tucker, and said, "That's what we call Tucker . . . yeah."

Shrugging nonchalantly, though not fully convinced, Valerie turned to Sam. She had another question in mind. "What's up with you? Usually you're so . . . pink . . ."

Sam's reaction was much like Jazz's had been when Val had suggested she was crazy. "What?" she asked simply.

"Well . . . when did you become so . . . not Paulina?"

"_What_?" Sam asked again, though much more forcefully.

"Usually you're hanging around _her _. . . Danny and . . . erm . . . 'Clockwork' haven't even talked to you since, like, junior high, when you shunned them for the eighth grade end-of-the-year dance . . ." Valerie replied, completely unaware of her grave error. "Though Danny hasn't talked to too many people in a while . . ." she mumbled under her breath. "Or at least, he shouldn't have."

Sam's eyes twitched, and Danny and Tucker were caught between staring at their now-furious friend and Val. "I wouldn't get near _Paulina_," the goth spat, "unless it was to throw her in the sunlight and watch her burn."

Valerie took a step back, more confused than she was when she entered gym class this morning. Danny stepped in between the two, and whispered to Sam, "She's not herself, lately, Sam . . . Don't get too . . ."

Pushing Danny aside, she replied, "Survey says, too late."

Suddenly, Ms. Testlaff walked up, and put a hand on each of the girls' shoulders. "Break it up, Manson, Gray. We don't want a repeat of the Fenton Anti-Creep Stick incident."

Danny rubbed the back of his neck. "When are people going to forget that?" he muttered. "It's not like anyone got hurt . . . much . . ."

Valerie just looked at Sam, shocked by her reaction, as Sam shot her multiple murderous glances. "Crazy or not, I'm gonna . . ."

"Manson . . ." Testlaff growled.

"Breaking it up now," Sam said, taking a step back from the over-muscled gym teacher.

Ms. Testlaff glared at them. "Get back to your game. If I catch you fighting again, it'll be two months detention."

Blinking, Team Phantom and the dimension-hopper stared as Testlaff left them. "That was . . . interesting . . ." Valerie said, breaking the ice. "She never acted that way towards me before . . ."

Sam rolled her eyes. "Well, first, you were popular, and your dad donated heaps of money to the school, and then you were, 'look at me, I'm in peak physical condition!'" Everyone stared at her blankly. "Hello? She's always had some reason for Testlaff to love her." she sighed.

Shrugging, Danny changed the subject. "Who's on who's team? I'm thinking me with Val and then you and Tuck - . . . erm . . . Clockwork . . . together."

"Fine by me," or "Sure," was the response.

They lined up, and Tucker threw up the ball. Diving in, Sam grabbed it, shooting just above Danny's head, aiming for the goal. Danny jumped up and just barely missed it. Sam pumped her fist.

Valerie dove behind Danny and caught the ball.

Scowling, Tucker rushed at Valerie, attempting to grab the orb from her. He succeeded, though just barely, and shot the ball into the net. "Yes!" he yelled.

Sam and Danny, who both remained at half-court, glared at each other. Danny smirked playfully, then ran ahead to grab the bouncing ball. Sam darted forward as well, right past the rejoicing Tucker and Val, who was staring at Danny. He was still acting way too much like a _normal _teenager. A slightly _weird_ normal teenager, but still.

Not inferior at all.

And it just annoyed her.

_Kauffman Apartments, April 20, 2006_

_(alternate universe)_

After they'd gotten back in the house, the doctors had arrived, preventing Damon from questioning her further. For awhile. Just until the next morning.

"Daddy, please. Don't hurt Danny. I told him to . . ."

He raised a hand. "I got that. He never does _anything _without permission. I want to know about that ghost-fighting weaponry of yours. You know, you could get in serious trouble for that, it's animal abuse . . ."

Valerie closed her eyes, and breathed in deeply. "Please tell me you didn't just say that."

"Say what?"

"That it's _animal _abuse to be hunting ghosts. Ghosts are bad and all, but they're pretty intelligent as far as I've seen."

"Valerie . . ." Damon's voice was reproachful. "What's going on? You're not acting like yourself."

Suddenly, she exploded. "You're calling _Danny_, that boy over there," she gestured to the boy standing quietly, obediently, in a corner of the kitchen, "an animal. A completely unintelligent animal. Maybe, Dad, that's all you've reduced him into thinking he is. Through your _abuse_. But you know something? He's half human. He's also one of the smartest _people_ I've met, in this world or any other . . ." she trailed off. Her little theory had just been spilled.

Damon gave her a long, hard glare all other parts of her Sam-like speech forgotten. "And, what, exactly, do you mean by _that_, young lady?"

"I . . .erm . . . yeah. Okay, if I can't tell you, who can I tell? I don't think I'm your Valerie, Dad. I convinced myself this wasn't a dream awhile ago, when I didn't wake up, so I think . . . I think I might be from an alternate reality."

Damien almost choked on his own saliva. "What? Valerie, are you feeling okay?"

Valerie slammed her fist down on the table. "I wish people would stop asking me that!" she exclaimed, then buried her head in her arms. "I'm not going crazy. I couldn't have made up such a complicated story for myself if I was crazy."

Her 'father' nodded, and sighed. "Why don't you tell me all about it?"


	6. Chapter Five: Visiting the Fentons

**Chapter Five**

_Gray Manor, April 20, 2006_

"Dad . . . where are we going?" Valerie asked her sort-of-father, who was beginning to drag her across town. Danny walked just behind them. After she'd explained her life's story to him, he'd insisted that they go.

"The Fentons', that's where . . ."

Taking a glance at Danny, who's posture had (somehow) become even more perfect at hearing that name. "Why?"

Damon leered at her. "If you really care about Danny back there, you won't ask. He doesn't need to hear about them too much."

"I'm guessing, though, we need to be there in a hurry?"

"Yes."

"Well, I think we can get there faster if we take my jet sled. I can cloak it so no one will see us."

Reluctantly, Damon let go of Valerie's arm. "Okay . . ."

Valerie dashed behind a tree and activated her suit, and, more importantly, the jet sled. Rushing over and picking up Danny and Damon, she turned on the cloaking device.

"We don't need to be there _that _fast."

"Maybe I just want to be there _that _fast." Valerie sighed, and slowed the jet sled down, just a little. "Well, now we're all going at the same pace, anyway. You really need to get in shape, Dad."

As she saw the Fentons' (very recognizable) house, she slowed down, and deactivated the suit. To anyone watching, they would've appeared out of thin air.

Damon gasped for breath. "How on Earth did you get used to that?"

"Forget about the stupid ghost hunting thing. Would you please explain what we're visiting Danny's parents for?"

The man sighed sadly, and put a hand on Val's shoulder. "They're not his parents anymore, Valerie. They disowned him last year . . . when Danny's little accident happened."

Danny's accident? Like the one at the beginning of the school year . . . "Oh my gosh," she muttered under her breath. Surely he couldn't be Phantom in both worlds . . .?

"Yes. But we're here to talk them about . . ." But his sentence was cut off when the door to the Fenton home was opened by a rather paunchy man Valerie immediately recognized as Mr. Fenton.

Jack blinked, and looked at them. "Maddie!" he yelled, running off like a little child. "We have more company!"

Val heard a sigh coming from inside the house, and eventually Danny's mother appeared in the doorway. "May I help you?" she asked.

"We just came over to ask your help."

"Call our hotline. 555-SPOOK. Disobedience problems, hit one, medical problems, hit two, you get the point."

"It's a bit more complex than that, Maddie."

"Damon, if it has to do with _him_, I don't really think . . ."

Damon cut her off. "Do you believe in alternate timelines?"

"Yes, sure. What's that got to do with anything?"

Valerie stepped forward, realizing why they were there. "Hi, Mrs. Fenton. I think I might be from an alternate universe, and . . . well, I need your help to get back."

Maddie blinked, and glanced at her ex-son. "Come in, come in. We already have guests, but okay."

"Okay . . ." Damon and Valerie stepped in, closely followed by Danny. Maddie was reluctant to let the boy in, but decided against leaving him in the heat.

"Right, okay, just sit there. Samantha and Jeremy will be back in in just a minute."

Valerie blinked. "Samantha and Jeremy _Manson_?"

"Yeah. Is there a problem?"

"No, none at all . . ."

Maddie sat down in a cushy armchair across from them. "So, what's this about an alternate timeline?"

"Valerie seems to have either gone completely nuts and made up an entire life's story for herself, or she's really from an alternate history."

"What makes it different from this world?"

"Well . . . oh my . . . That's just wrong."

Samantha Manson had just entered the room, along with her father. And she was, it seemed, made of pure pink. Her face had been covered with so much makeup that she looked like a Barbie doll the machine messed up. Her dress was frilly and a shade of light magenta that would scare away Paulina.

"Hi, Valerie," she greeted cheerily. "Having troubles with Danny?"

If waking up in a world where ghosts were slaves and Danny was a completely meek slave-boy was a blow to the head, this was a concussion. "Wha . . . you . . .woah . . ."

"Val? Is everything okay?" the false sugar-coating that had long lined the Queen of Casper High's voice was now residing in Sam_antha_'s. It was just wrong.

"No . . . pink! Way. Too. Pink."

Sam's face contorted into a frown, and she turned to Jeremy. "I told you the makeup was too much."

"Sorry, sweetheart. We'll buy the lighter shade next time."

Samantha smiled again, and took the other seat next to Valerie. "Looking forward to Paulina's party this Friday?"

Valerie shook her head, still struggling to speak, but managing this time. "I'm not going."

"Why not?"

"Eh . . . family business."

Samantha pouted. "Okay. I guess there'll always be others . . . I guess."

Maddie sighed. "Could you two go see Jack? He'll help you just as well as I could."

"And bring Danny," Valerie added quickly.

"A few minutes with a cutie that has to obey my every command? Sure."

Valerie held back a shudder.

After Samantha and Jeremy left, Maddie sighed again. She seemed to do that a lot. "So what makes you think 'your world' is any different from 'ours'?"

"Where to start?"

_Meanwhile . . ._

_(ordinary universe)_

Danny wasn't acting like he should be. He wasn't acting inferior at all. Which was wrong, and very annoying.

This annoyance plagued Valerie until Mikey (she couldn't believe he could _ever _talk to her), passed her a note. "Danny's sending it to Sam, "he whispered. "Ten bucks says it's a love letter."

Valerie smirked. Maybe this had something to do with the mysterious Clockwork (there was no way they'd call Tucker that. He was late for every class she'd been to so far. Of course, there always was the possibility for irony . . .). She opened it tentatively.

'_Sam -_

_Clockwork told me there's been a rift in Valerie's personal inter-dimensional time stream, whatever that means. This Valerie and our Valerie switched places. Along with several other Valeries, but I guess that isn't as important.'_

_There's been a rift in my personal inter-dimensional time stream? _she thought, somehow comprehending that. _So . . . here really is another world!_

She folded the note up again, and passed it on to Dash, specifying who'd passed it to whom. "You owe me ten bucks," Val whispered back to Mikey.


	7. Chapter Six: She Told Me To Do It

**Chapter Six**

_FentonWorks, April 20, 2006_

After (once again), telling her life story to someone else who _should_ have had at least a vague idea of it, Valerie was exhausted. Maddie was worse than her father, for she kept asking questions that seemed completely irrelevant. Over and over again.

"So you're saying my husband and I, we hunt ghosts? Because they run amuck throughout the city?"

"For the last time, yes!"

"And that Danny _isn't _half ghost? And . . . we wouldn't disown him if he was?" A small smile crept into Maddie's features.

Though Val was sick and tired of these questions, this was a new one. Her face softened. "Yes, Mrs. Fenton. Danny really is a wonderful person, and I think you knew that but . . . well . . ."

Damon was rather bored by the whole ordeal, but at this, he perked up. "If you want to take him back and reinstate his citizenship, we could always buy a replacement . . ." Valerie literally turned around and slapped him. Rubbing his cheek, he corrected, "Or we could always _hire _a replacement. I'm sure there are a few people around here willing to work as a housekeeper."

"That's better."

Maddie tilted her head. "Well . . . Vlad's half ghost, and he has rights . . . yeah, he bought himself but . . . I guess that would work. I'd have to talk to Jack, but . . ."

Valerie raised her hands. "Woah, woah, Vlad _Masters _is half ghost? And he _bought himself_?"

Maddie blinked. "Oh, of course dear, you don't know. Yes, Vlad's half ghost, and he bought himself. Why, do you know him, or something?"

"Well, other than the fact that he's the 1997 billionaire of the year, he kind of supplied all my original ghost-hunting gear . . ."

"Oh," was Maddie and Damon's in-unison reply.

"So . . . what about Danny?"

Biting her lip, Maddie glanced at the door Samantha and Jeremy had left through. "Again, I'll have to talk to Jack. But . . . well . . . after you told me how things should be, Valerie, I guess I kind of see the mistake I've made."

Valerie smiled. "That's great, Mrs. Fenton. We'll just go pick Danny up and you give your decision later."

"Okay. I hope I'll see you again, later."

"Of course. C'mon, Valerie," Damon replied for Val, leading her through the door. Jeremy was talking to Jack.

"Desi, of course, would _never _be tricked into something like that, Jack. She's a smart little thing, really."

Valerie coughed. Jack looked up. "What?" he asked.

"Where'd Sam . . . antha go?"

"The other room," Jeremy replied lazily before the fat man could answer.

"Thanks."

They walked through the next door, where Valerie saw something else she would never forget.

Danny Phantom and Samantha Manson, lip locked about three feet above the ground.

Damon turned around, and Valerie covered her eyes. "I will _never _be able to un-see this," she exclaimed.

Danny, just barely not dropping Samantha, whirled around in the air, as Sam's eyes widened. "Um . . . hi . . ." she said awkwardly.

"Great. My life is _so _going be a living heck for this," he mumbled. Then, biting his lip, he said, "Hey, she told me to do it, and well . . ."

Samantha growled. "I did not, you . . ."

_If there was anything I learned while being in Paulina's circle, it was never to trust a prep if it involved a nerd . . . or in this case, a slave, getting in trouble, _Valerie thought dryly. "Somehow, I don't believe a word of that."

Samantha smirked. "See?"

"I meant you."

Blinking. "Oh. What's with the sudden high-and-mighty attitude, Val? Is it, like, the new fad or something? 'Cuz Lina hasn't said anything."

_She _was high and mighty? And . . . _Lina_? "Erm . . . yeah, I guess. If being smart's the new all that."

Samantha nodded approvingly. "Nice. I'll be sure to start doing that." Then, turning to Phantom (blushing the entire time), "Could you let me down?"

Flushed as well, Phantom lowered himself, and Samantha, down to the ground. "Yeah, sorry."

Suddenly, the transformation rings swept up and down his body again, and there stood Danny Fenton, who was, quite literally, shaking. "I - I - I'm sorry . . . milady, milord, Miss Manson . . ."

Samantha rolled her eyes while the Grays looked on in worry. "It's okay, Danny," Valerie told him gently. "C'mon."

He obediently followed her out of the room. Valerie paid little mind to how the two previously lip-locked were blushing furiously. There always was some chemistry between those two . . . no matter how mind-boggling jealous she was.

_Meanwhile . . ._

_(ordinary universe)_

Class was long over - in fact, Valerie was sitting in 'her' apartment thinking everything over. "How am I supposed to get back?" she mumbled.

"Get back to where, sweetie?" Damon asked, coming into the kitchen.

Valerie blinked, and turned to face her father. "Oh, I . . . erm . . . left a library book in the copy room when Mr. Folupa asked me to copy something. We're not allowed in there."

Damon's eyes narrowed, catching his daughter's slightly nervous tone in an instant. "This doesn't have to do with your ghost hunting, does it?"

Valerie would've spit out the water she was drinking, had she been drinking any water. Lacking that, though, she raised her eyebrows and gaped. "Ghost hunting? Isn't that, like, animal abuse?"

Shaking his head, her father sighed. "I know you hate ghosts . . . but to refer to them as animals? Isn't that a bit . . . extreme?"

"Hypocrite," Valerie said to herself. Couldn't _anything _make sense here? It was all completely (for a sudden urge to be repetitive) insane. "Yeah, I guess." _Best to agree and avoid suspicion_.

"Valerie . . . I know I can't confiscate your suit anymore, but please, for your safety . . . give up the ghost hunting."

"I didn't know I ever started," she mumbled. "Fine," she replied.

Valerie watched as Damon stood, agape. "Wha . . . you actually agreed?"

Uh-oh. Maybe Weird World Valerie was a bit more adamant . . . But, she reasoned, keeping conversations between herself and other people (her 'father' in particular) simple was key to getting out of here in one piece. "Yeah."

He shook his head. "Pigs must be flying . . ." she heard him mumble. "Living pigs."

Valerie just shook her head.

When insane things happen, the best thing to do was to realize there could always be something crazier.


	8. Intermission: Specter Stealing

**Intermission: Specter Stealing**

_Vlad Masters' Office, April 21, 2006_

_(alternate universe)_

Vlad straightened his jacket, and smoothed back his white hair. It would be impossible to say he wasn't nervous, though his suave exterior prevented anyone from saying he was. Also, the fact that he could incinerate any who said so with a wave of his hand helped, too.

This was a rather important meeting - it would determine whether or not he could buy a rival company. It was also the first since the world had found out he was half ghost and he had bought himself. "Buying myself," he said to himself, "was the best use of a hundred grand I can imagine. Though it would have been a bit better had I not had to do it. Half ghost or no, I'm human . . . just like that fool Jack's son . . . Daniel, I think his name was . . . shame the president of Gray Security owns him. He'd make a nice addition to my housekeeping staff."

His sympathies, needless to say, lay only with himself. Though, if the time came for the other boy to be freed, he'd willingly speak up about how 'right' it was.

"Skulker," he called, turning from the mirror. "Could you bring me my coffee?"

Quickly the small blob appeared, just barely floating high enough to hand his master the drink. "Yes, milord," it said coolly, as it nearly fell out of the air.

"I will not tolerate that tone, Skulker. I _will _lock you in with that _adorable _mutt if you don't submit soon."

As a very recently captured ghost, Skulker was still rather abstinent, despite his obvious lack of any decent power.

"Yes, milord," Skulker said, trying to dissipate any emotion that his tone may have. Then, suddenly, both the ghost and his master's eyes flashed red.

A grin was captured on Vlad's security camera from behind them. A grin that had been shown on news programs throughout the country. An equally familiar voice was heard. "Whoever thought of using ghosts as security guards with _me _on the loose was a bit touched in the head. Right, minions?" They made no reply. The Specter Stealer's demented smile broadened. "All right then. We have quite a journey a head of us. Madison is _so _far away from Amity Park, after all. What a reunion this will be!"

Freakshow and those now completely under his control vanished into the shadows at that point, and the videotape of the little incident exploded in its case.

The next day, the police were baffled at the disappearances. No one really cared, other than for the fact that there was a dangerous ghost on the loose, and the idea that Freakshow was behind it never entered their minds.

It was ironic, though, that the man who'd paid so much for his own freedom, ended up in the clutches of another anyway.


	9. Chapter Seven: So It Shall Be

**Chapter Seven**

_Gray Manor, April 22, 2006_

Two days later, very little had happened. Vlad Masters was missing, a tornado had touched down in Texas, all news that didn't really matter in Valerie's mind. She was stuck - as far as she knew - and that left little else as a priority.

And now, her surroundings had changed quite a bit. They'd moved out of Kauffman Apartments when the renovation on Gray Manor was complete.

Here, the Grays were millionaires - something Val hadn't quite been able to process until now. When Damon had become the president of Vesxco Security, he'd changed to Gray Security (easier to pronounce), and become a multi-millionaire overnight.

So, there was the mansion. It wasn't quite the Dairy King's castle, or anything like that, but it was large. Huge. Gargantuan, especially to Valerie's poverty trained eyes.

"You _live _here?" she asked, awestruck.

"Only during the school year," Damon said.

"Please tell me that was a joke."

"It was." Valerie only barely caught the very light nervous tone in his voice which alerted her to the fact that he was lying. She chose to ignore it.

As it was bound to, sooner or later, her mind turned to what a house the size would have meant for Danny. "And you made Danny clean this all by himself?"

"Well . . . erm . . ."

Val sighed, and shook her head. "Thought so."

- - -

Danny was still right behind them, listening but not comprehending. Mistress Gray had been acting so strangely during the past four days. Like she _cared_. And when he became Phantom (how he loved that name), she didn't get mad.

She didn't punish him for kissing Miss Manson. She'd believed _him _when he'd insisted that the other girl had made him do it.

And she'd talked to Mrs. Fenton about something. Something about where she came from (an alternate timeline, Master Gray had said), the place, the marvelous place, she'd told him of earlier in the week.

And now she was practically reprimanding her father for making him clean the mansion by himself.

But wasn't that what he was supposed to be doing? He was less than the humans, superior beings that they were - that had been brutally hammered into him by the master.

Still, now it seemed, perhaps, that there might be a slight glimmer of hope left in his world after all.

- - -

And now she saw her bedroom. Her absolutely _huge _bedroom. 'It's not actually my bedroom,' she corrected herself. 'It's some other Valerie's.'

Still, plopping down on the king-sized bed (lined with satin sheets, she noticed gleefully), she felt like someone who'd been invited to stay in the presidential suite in a five-star hotel.

That was before it got awkward. Damon left her alone with Danny.

He stood quietly near the foot of 'her' bed. Valerie sighed. "Are you okay, Danny?" she asked sincerely.

"Yes, Valerie," he replied automatically. _Oh, well_, she thought. _Even if I can't get the truth out of him, at least he still calls me Valerie._

She tried again. "Could you give me the truth, Danny?" She leaned over and touched his cheek.

"I am very well, Valerie."

"The _real _truth." Looking into his eyes, she exhaled. "I won't punish you if you tell me the truth."

His eyes darted nervously away from hers. "I am confused, Valerie."

She blinked, and removed her hand from his face. "About what?"

"You are being far too nice, Valerie. Your opinions are of the highest law to me, Valerie, but they seem to have changed too quickly for my inferior mind."

She stared at him intently. "If my opinions are of the highest law, then my opinion is this: you aren't inferior, Danny. Remember that you're half human." She refrained from telling him what his mother had said. If it didn't go through, she didn't want his hopes crashing down, hard. "What I want you to do now is to tell me what you're thinking."

"I - I -" Two years of training to do the exact opposite of what she'd just told him to do didn't help Danny in this situation. So he went with the training. "I know that it is a hardship for you to have to feed me and keep me clothed when with other inferiors are already dead."

Tears welled up in her eyes, and Valerie reached out and hugged the boy, crying softly into his shoulder. "I wish you'd stop thinking like that."

- - -

Meanwhile, Jeremy and Samantha Manson (and their slave, Desi, as it so happened), passed by the Gray house.

How Desi hated her name. It wasn't her actual name, just a 'cute', shortened version of her real one. Her real name?

Desiree.

And Desiree was originally a wish-granting ghost, who'd caused havoc within the Ghost Zone with her loophole-oriented powers. After being trained to simply grant the wish that her master/mistress had in mind, she'd been a very high-value slave. Her powers lingered, of course, for this to work.

All of them, including extra-sensitive hearing. Since she became more powerful with every wish she granted (something the Mansons had failed to notice), this was very useful for finding more.

And while passing Gray Manor, she'd heard the voice of someone in the upstairs bedroom, wishing that _someone _(it didn't really matter to her) to stop thinking in some way. Her hands glowed pink for a moment as she granted the wish, unnoticed by her owners.

"So you have wished it, so it shall be," she whispered.

- - -

_Meanwhile . . ._

_(ordinary universe)_

Valerie inhaled as she knocked on the door to FentonWorks. Back at the apartment, she'd decided to talk to Danny. He was her only hope, she assumed, to getting back home.

Of course, she didn't know home was being turned upside down by . . . well . . . _her_, but that's irrelevant.

Maddie opened the door, and then smiled. "Hi, Valerie. Danny's upstairs."

She nodded, forced a smile, and said, "Okay, Mrs. Fenton." Then she rushed up the stairs.

Danny's room . . . oh, there it was. The one with the sign that said, 'Danny's Bedroom' on the door, obviously. She walked over and knocked on it.

Valerie heard the sounds of some video game coming from within the room. "Who is it?" Danny yelled.

_Impolite little . . . Well . . . I always act this way towards my friends, don't I? _she thought. "It's Valerie!" she yelled back.

"Doors open!" came Danny's shout.

She twisted the handle and walked in, closing the door behind her. "Hey, Danny," she said. "I need to talk to you."

He immediately shut off the game, and turned to her. "What is it?" he asked. She knew the look in his eyes. It was the expression of a boy who'd been turned down and was now hoping for a second chance.

"I need your help."

His look became one of concern. "What is it? Wait, scratch that, I know. You're not the normal Val, and you want my help getting back."

Valerie stared. "How'd you know?"

"Clockwork told me about your . . . situation," Danny replied slowly.

"Tucker?" she asked incredulously.

Danny sighed. "Wha . . . oh yeah, that excuse. Naw, Clockwork's the Master of Time. Not Tucker."

"Oh . . . okay . . . look, I'd rather not spend too much time with you . . . like . . . this. I just want to get home." Suddenly, her eyes widened. "That's why you left me four days ago when I was walking home! You went to see this Clockwork guy!"

Danny stared. "Um . . . erm . . . I don't know what you're talking about."

Shaking her head, Valerie exhaled. "It _had _to be you. You look the same while you're a ghost, for the most part, and in my world, everybody already knows. That's why you're a . . ." She trailed off, reluctant to say the next word.

Remembering her rants from earlier in the week, he finished her sentence. "Slave. I don't really care. Your world, my world. I'm an expert on alternate timelines." A strange expression crossed his face, then quickly disappeared. "Here, you're a ghost hunter, Val, and you hate my metaphorical guts. I think you can understand why I wouldn't want to tell either of you." He paused. "Oh, and, just for reference, Clockwork had just visited me, I didn't go off to see him. I ran off to think about what he told me."

She shuddered. "Ghost hunting. The idea's so _wrong_. It's, like, animal abuse." This earned a glare from Danny. "Sorry . . . Yeah, so how am I going to get back?"

Relaxing his leer slightly, he shrugged. "I dunno. I'll take you to Clockwork. He should take care of things . . ."


	10. Chapter Eight: Home

**Chapter Eight**

_Grey Manor, April 22, 2006_

"So you have wished it, so it shall be."

- - -

Valerie covered her eyes otiosely as a brilliant pink flash engulfed the room, and lingered far longer than it should. As it at last adjusted, she saw a marvelous sight.

Before her was Danny. But a Danny far more like the Danny she knew - his eyes had regained a twinkle that she hadn't seen since she'd arrived here, and his head was held higher. And on his face was a lopsided (slightly angry, but everything she'd seen _Phantom_ do had a twinge of ire in it) grin.

The huntress stared at the boy for a moment. He stared back, and his grin lessened as his mouth grew tired. The radiance remained. "That was unexpected," he said after awhile.

Valerie's face exploded into a broad smile, and she hugged him again. "You're back!" she screamed.

Danny blinked, and put a hand on one of Valerie's arms. "Yes, I'm back. Could you please get off of me?"

Valerie leaned back, and wiped a happy tear away from her eye. "Sorry. I'm just glad that you're back to normal . . . or as close as you can be, here. In this freak world."

"Seriously, what's going on? One minute I was one me and the next - I'm all over!"

Valerie tilted her head. "In English, if you don't mind."

"Can't explain it better than that. I've lost two years of my education. What do you expect?"

Valerie's gaze hardened. "Speaking of that, there's something I need to talk to you about."

"What?"

Again, Valerie noticed that they were acting like friends. Perhaps simply because she knew Danny so well in her world . . . and he was just following her lead.

"Well . . . Dad and I . . . we talked to your parents the other day -"

"They're not my parents," Danny interrupted. "Not anymore."

"Well, anyway, we talked to Mr. and Mrs. Fenton, while you were . . . erm . . . yeah . . . okay, anyway, we talked to them, and they're going to talk and . . . well . . . _maybe_ . . . they _might_ take you back and reinstate you into the free . . . world . . . so . . . yeah."

Danny gazed at her. "You can't be serious. Not that I want to remain . . . what I am, but I _so _don't want to go back to them. The parents that sell their kid into slavery . . . not my first option."

Val shook her head. "Well . . . you'd be free."

Danny shrugged. "Yeah, I guess."

"You'd get to go to school."

"Great idea. Because I just _love _that sort of prejudice," he replied sarcastically.

Valerie raised up her hands in frustration. "Fine. Whatever. Technically not your choice." This shut him up. "Look, Danny, I like you. I _really _like you. And I hate you, but not this you. In more ways then one. But the point is, I just want you to be happy."

"Get me out of here and . . ." He trailed off, and his eyes closed. He fell backwards, landing on the floor with a thud.

"Danny!" she shouted, eyes flashing in fear. Then she sighed in relief as he slowly sat up again. "Don't scare me like that," she breathed.

He opened his eyes, and chill went up Valerie's spine. Cold red replaced the familiar blue.

"Hello, girl," came a voice from behind her. "For a security salesman, your father has pitiful security."

With a quick blow to the head, Valerie was knocked out.

_Meanwhile . . ._

_(ordinary universe)_

Danny yawned as he turned the steering wheel of the Specter Speeder. "Flying is so much faster, you know," he said to the girl sitting next to him.

"Well, I can't fly," Valerie said dryly. "Can't this thing go any faster?"

"No," Danny replied. "I miss the good old days where you had a jet sled and an aerodynamic suit . . . though, technically that wasn't you and I was always in a mad dash for my life . . . so, whatever."

Valerie leaned back heavily into her seat. "Why on Earth did this happen? I have to treat you . . . normally . . . until I get back, and, heck, I don't even know _if _I'll get back, and I'm traveling in a creepy-looking flying thingy in _another_ creepy-looking parallel universe."

Danny glared at her. "Since when does my universe look creepy?"

"It doesn't, I meant . . . Oh, never mind."

The rest of the trip was spent in silence. At long last they reached the towering castle of time, and Danny pulled the Specter Speeder under a small overhang. "We're here," Danny announced.

Valerie sighed. "And this Clockwork guy lives here? And he'll send me back?" He'd better.

"Yes. He should, anyway."

Val pouted. "Comforting," she told him sarcastically. "Let's go."

Danny stepped out of the Speeder. "Don't try and touch anything, you won't be able to."

"Fine. Whatever."

Valerie followed, and soon they were standing in front of the Master of Time. "We'd like you to send her back to her own universe, Clockwork."

"I know. However, there is a slight problem. I cannot retrieve your Valerie, she is out of my jurisdiction. I'm going to have to send you in, Danny, to retrieve her." Clockwork looked at them as benignly. "I will send you in with him, of course," he reassured after Val gave him a pointed look.

"You'd better, ghost," she huffed. "Or you will be _going down_."

Clockwork, had he been the type, would have chuckled, that much was obvious, even to Valerie. "What you must do is simply to travel into the Ghost Zone and find me there. He will be able to take care of things."

Danny nodded. "Does Miss Superior over here have to come?"

"I'm afraid so," Clockwork told him. "She must be returned to her own universe. Now, you must be on your way . . ." He hit the top of his staff, and mouthed something Valerie couldn't quite make out. Everything suddenly seemed to be muted, and there was brilliant green flash. She closed her eyes to avoid the light.

When she opened them, she immediately knew where she was.

Home.


	11. Chapter Nine: The Media Sucks

**Chapter Nine**

_Who Knows Where, April 24, 2006_

Valerie hardly knew that she had woken up. Wherever she was, it was pitch black. Eventually, however, she did realize that she wasn't still unconscious, and sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

The ground beneath her was rather metallic, and cold, though she must have been lying there for some time. Or had she? All this darkness was disconcerting. Finally, Valerie remember her glow-in-the-dark watch, and hit a button on the side to turn the light on.

4:32 PM 4 24 06

"_I've been asleep for two days_!" Valerie couldn't help but exclaim. As she finished, she heard someone else.

"Yes, yes you have. You gave us quite a scare, actually. Or really just me, because everyone else here is a mindless drone . . . and then, not even me, because, I don't care. But oh, yes, you have been unconcious since I kidnaped you two days ago." A creepily dressed man came up in front of her, somehow illuminated. How she was able to see him was clarified when Phantom floated out from behind him. It was he ghost hybrid's eerie glow. "I am Freakshow, Miss Gray. Your master of ceremonies. You may know me better as 'The Specter Stealer' though, I'm going to dsy, that is a stupid name. Tonight, my dear . . . you will watch a spectacular show. Before you become a cast member yourself. Minion, light up the room!"

Danny gave off an evil grin before turning around and leaving Valerie and Freakshow in total darkness. Quickly enough, the room was brightly lit. Val blinked a few times to adjust her eyes to the light.

As soon as she could see, Valerie lunged at Freakshow, and he clapped. Almost instantly, a burly green-tinted ghost was blocking the way between him and Val.

"Now, now, Miss Grey, we don't want a repeat of the Fenton Anti-Creep Stick incident, do we?" the Specter Stealer chided.

Valerie scowled and backed away. She heard footsteps as Freakshow (and the spook in front of him) went farther away. Then there was a clanging noise, the source of which was blocked out by the ghost. "Take a look around."

Figuring it couldn't hurt, she did. She was in what appeared to be a sort of tunnel, lined with metal. Valerie then noticed where the noise must have come from. Bars blocked the entrance of the tunnel, and judging by the fact that Freakshow was now on the other side of them, and earlier he was right in front of her, they must've been added recently.

"Let me out of here!" she yelled, running up to the bars.

"I can't. Once they're down, there's only one way out of there and . . ." There were suddenly a whole lot of frantic mumbling sounds, and Valerie glanced around the room from her prison, trying to see the source. In the process, she realized that this was some sort of lab.

Finally, she saw the noisemakers. Maddie and Jack Fenton were tied up, helpless, in one corner of the room. "Mr. and Mrs. Fenton!" Valerie yelled. _This must be FentonWorks_, she thought.

"Will you be quiet?" Freakshow said, to the room in general. "As I was saying, there's only one way to get out of there, and that's only through intangibility." He came mockingly close to Valerie's face. "But, I don't suppose you have that, now do you?"

Val only growled.

"The only way to get that would be to become a ghost. Or a half-ghost, like Daniel here. And there's only one way to do that. Turn on this nifty little device -" He paused to smile devilishly. "-from the inside. There's a switch, a green switch, a few feet in. You press it, and _whammo_, you are a member of my crew . . . permanently."

Valerie stared. "You're crazy," she stated simply.

"Probably," replied Freakshow. "But I'm the one with the army of ghosts."

_Meanwhile . . ._

"We're home!" Valerie shouted, happy.

Danny sighed. "You're home. We need a ghost portal . . ."

"FentonWorks. But -"

Danny had already transformed, and was flying at top speed towards where his house should be, Valerie in arm.

Finally, they stopped outside of FentonWorks. "You deserve what's coming, ghost boy."

Phasing through the roof (The Fentons must've turned off the ghost shield for some reason, Val thought.), Danny and Valerie headed towards the basement. What they saw was . . . unexpected . . .

A very familiar pasty bald head was at the back of the room, facing a no-longer-glowing Fenton Portal. Around the room were various ghosts. And in the corner were Maddie and Jack, yelling something Danny couldn't make out through their gags.

"This wasn't part of the plan," Danny said uselessly.

"No, I didn't think it was," Valerie replied, forgetting to put in the wry tone she had meant to.

Freakshow turned around. "What? Another Gray girl? And another Daniel?"

"The Specter Stealer!" Valerie exclaimed.

"And I thought Inviso-Bill was bad," Danny muttered. "Really, the Specter Stealer? The media sucks."

"I agree, ghost. The media hires stupid people. Now face my wrath!" Freakshow held up his staff, and Danny averted his eyes in an attempt to avoid becoming a mindless slave.

Ahem.

When Danny glanced over, and the Specter Stealer was still holding up the staff. "How come you're not facing my wrath?"

In reality, this had something long and complicated to do with the slightly different universal energy signatures Danny had, none of which corresponded to Freakshow's staff. But that's long and boring, and will not be delved into deeply here.

"Phantom!" Valerie heard . . . Valerie . . . yell. "Get me out of here!"

Danny flew over to the Fenton Portal, and Valerie followed. "What are you doing in there?" she asked.

"Tell you later. Just phase me through."

"Got it," Danny reached through and reached through, making her intangible.

When she was out, Valerie (the one just trapped in the Fenton Portal) reached over and hugged Danny fiercely. "I thought Freakshow was controlling you, Danny!"

"Um . . . I'm not the Danny from here. I'm Phantom."

Valerie let go, a faint reddish tinge on her cheeks. "What the heck are you doing helping me then?"

Danny gave her a pointed look and flew off. Freakshow had stopped being surprised that Danny wasn't a drone, and was now sending ghost after ghost to attack him.

"Well, this is awkward," the Valerie native to that universe said.

"Uh-huh," the other Valerie (who shall hereby be known as Val) responded awkwardly.

"Now, what the heck did you mess up while you were here?" Valerie said.

"Nothing! If anything, I fixed some stuff," Val said casually.

"Like what? Oh, crud, you didn't mess up Danny, did you? It took about a year to train him right and . . ."

"Shut up. His parents are thinking about taking him back, anyway."

Valerie slapped Val on the cheek. "You had no right to . . ."

"Ow! Did it ever occur to you that he was half human? And that he was a nice person? Or, maybe, that ghost slavery was wrong? For crying out loud, when you die, _you'll be a slave forever_."

"He's not a nice person! Have you met his ghost half?"

"Phantom," Val corrected. "And oh, I dunno, did it ever occur to you that maybe he was just a little . . . mad? That his own parents sold him into slavery, and he was being treated like an animal by . . . by you!"

For a moment, Valerie was silent. "Okay, maybe. But not everyone becomes a ghost."

"True. But if you do . . ."

"Who are you to come in and disrupt my way of life, anyway?"

"Shut up. Really. Shut the heck up."

"You suck. I suck. We suck. Geez, I dunno. But _you _suck, bad."

Neither of them heard the shattering sound as the crystal ball was broken, or even noticed when the Fenton Portal was activated. No one noticed as the Wisconsin Ghost flew out of FentonWorks unnoticed, Skulker in arm, and the other ghosts just floated there, obediently waiting for . . . something. Even the ordinarily insubordinate Phantom was dazed.

_Danny _Phantom, however, was still trying to break up the squabbling girls. "Guys!" he yelled. "Guys! _Guys_!"

"She started it!" Val and Valerie yelled at the same time, pointing at each other.

Danny rolled his eyes. "Okay, look, stupidity aside, _we have to get to Clockwork_."

"Clockwork?" Val asked.

"The guy who'll send you back!" Danny and Valerie shouted at Val at the same time.

"Look, I'm staying. I have to fix what . . .she . . . me . . . _she _did to you . . . Danny. You are the other Danny, right?"

"Yes! Just come with me. Besides, I'm not really sure I want to leave you to abuse some other me. No, strike that, I'm sure I don't want to."

Valerie pouted. "Oh, c'mon. What about 'your world, my world' and all that other junk?"

"Blood is thicker than water. So is ectoplasm." He glanced at Val, who was giving him strange looks. "Why don't we just bring him?"

Suddenly they all heard a loud 'MMM!' "Oh yeah, the Fentons," Valerie remarked, suddenly uncomfortable. "I'll go untie them."

"What's her problem?" Danny asked.

Val gave a light shudder, and looked at him. "I think we're about to have a very, very awkward talk, Phantom."


	12. Chapter Ten: Guess Who

**Chapter Ten**

_FentonWorks, April 24, 2006_

Val gave a light shudder, and looked at him. "I think we're about to have a very, very awkward conversation, Phantom."

Danny swallowed. "Why, exactly?"

She turned to him. "There are some things I wouldn't even wish on you. I guess your parents from here aren't exactly as . . . accepting as Danny Fenton's were back where we live."

"Okay . . . If I _was_ that guy, which I'm not, I wonder what his folks would think of me being him?" He looked down at his feet, and rubbed the top of his head.

Val shrugged. "I dunno." Her look hardened. "Don't get used to me being so nice, ghost."

Danny looked up, smiled, and raised his hands in mock defense. "I wouldn't dream of it. My life wouldn't be complete without you trying to waste me."

Val took notice of how he spoke as if he was still alive. It must've just been . . . a mistake. A slip of the tongue. "You mean destroy you," she corrected. That was an odd thing to say so nonchalantly, and she knew it.

"Um . . . yeah . . ." He looked nervous for some reason, and Val had a hunch why.

Before Val could delve further, Valerie approached with Mr. and Mrs. Fenton behind her.

Both the Fenton adults were rubbing the backs of their necks awkwardly. "Hi," Maddie said uneasily.

"Hi," Danny replied.

"I guess you'd be . . . the Danny from _her _world . . ."

After a moment's hesitation, Danny said, "Well . . . it's actually just . . . Phantom. Danny Fenton and me . . . we're sorta different people."

"Oh," Jack said simply, interrupting his wife. Then he brightened up. "Then Danny's not a slave!" Then his look became reprimanding. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be . . . cleaning something or something? Or are you a rogue?"

When Danny wrinkled up his face in confusion, Maddie grabbed her husband's ear and whispered fiercely, "Did you not listen to _anything_ I told you?"

"Oh . . . um . . . right . . . Separate timelines . . ." Jack said sheepishly.

"I'm here to take Valerie back . . . Mr. and Mrs. Fenton," Danny told them. "The Valerie from my world."

Maddie bit her lip. "Um . . . Phantom, that's your name right? Could you do us a favor?"

Danny raised his eyebrows, and removed his hand from the back of his neck. "What?"

"Well . . . this is awkward . . . but I want your help in talking to Danny. We're . . . thinking about taking him back," Maddie explained.

"Well . . . I don't think I can," he said. "But if he's anything like me . . . he'll be pretty mad."

Valerie piped up. "Not if he's acting right, he won't be."

Val glanced sideways. "If he's acting right . . ."

"Pardon my impudence," a quiet voice came from behind the two Valeries and Danny, and Mr. and Mrs. Fenton gasped, "but which one of you is my mistress?"

Valerie pointed to herself impatiently, and Val rolled her eyes. "Such a moron," she muttered. Then her eyes widened. "You're acting like . . . that . . . again!"

Another long, complex energy signature conflict. Desiree's weaker energy was in direct conflict with that from Freakshow's staff, and reset Danny's energy pattern, which had been disturbed by Desiree's

'magic'. Not that Val or Valerie ever could have known this, but the vague idea was to be tossed around my Val later.

"Is there a problem, milady?" Danny said meekly (from now on normal universe Danny will be Phantom, and alternate universe Danny will be Danny).

"Uh . . ." Everyone turned to Phantom. "This is weird . . ."

Danny's eyes widened. "You - you're Phantom . . ." he whispered.

When Val, Valerie, Jack, and Maddie looked at him as if he'd grown wings and was throwing lemons at everyone (Phantom was already looking at him like that), Danny blushed and shut up, save for a "sorry, milady, milady, Mistress and Master Fenton"

"It's okay, Danny . . . we were just surprised to hear you speak like that."

But the speaker wasn't Val, it was Maddie.

". . . Okay, Mistress Fenton," Danny said uncertainly.

Valerie clenched her fists and teeth, a few high-pitched growls emanating from her throat occasionally. _Why_? She decided to continue on with her (perfect) description of this entire situation: it was _insane_.

"It's Mom," Maddie said happily, proud to have made any progress whatsoever.

"Okay, Mom," Danny answered. It was like the switch between 'milady' and 'Valerie' - he simply replaced one word with another in his mind.

"You've certainly changed key, Mrs. Fenton," Val noted, pleased.

"I suppose . . . Jack and I have been thinking very hard about this. If your . . . Valerie's father were to agree, we'd take Danny back in a heartbeat."

Val caught a small smile float on and off of Danny's lips.

"Urg . . . well . . . Valerie . . . we sort of have to go," Phantom's echo-y voice broke the serene bubble that had swept everyone (except Phantom, albeit) up in a warm embrace.

Val blinked, suddenly remembering both a.) that she had to get back to her own universe, and b.) she was trying to see if Danny Phantom was Danny Fenton.

"Right . . ." she said. "Let's go."

Valerie's face had become a startling shade of red, and finally, she exploded. "I'm not playing nice girl to her anymore! I'm home! You wrecked Danny," that last sentence got her glares from everyone in the room, save the dazed ghosts and Danny himself, "after I'd gotten him so . . . perfect . . . and then! Urk!"

Phantom sighed, and floated over to Valerie, picking her up by the back of her shirt. "I'll take you home."

Valerie wiggled, trying to get free. "Let me go or I'll tell the other me your secret!"

Phantom immediately dropped her. This was yet more proof for Val. She decided to make a bold move.

"Well . . . Yeah. Okay. Just stay here." the ghost said nervously.

Val sighed. "You're a moron, Danny. I already figured out it's you."

"Uh . . ." The ghost boy floated, agape. "How?"

"I just started paying attention. The 'hey, Danny's Phantom in this world' thing was a real push, too."

Phantom blinked, and transformed back to his ordinary self. "I guess you hate me now, huh?" he said shyly. "It's okay, I'll just . . . I dunno. Go to this world's Clockwork by myself. He can probably take you back long distance. Just . . . I didn't try to kill you. I knew your suit was possessed."

Val opened her mouth to say something, but then shut it.

Danny transformed again, phased through the bars blocking his way, and disappeared into the swirling mists.

_Forever? _Val couldn't help but wonder.


	13. Chapter Eleven: Hell Hath No Fury

**Chapter Eleven**

_FentonWorks, April 24, 2006_

From the moment he'd disappeared into the swirling mists of the Fenton Portal, Val had been worried. She _was _mad at him - though anyone could understand why he hadn't told her. She had, after all, been trying to kill him. For about a year and a half.

Though didn't love mean not having to say you're sorry?

First she'd donned the ghost hunting uniform in full fury. She cooled down, a little, and her instincts improved along with her physical health. Then Phantom'd become Public Ghost Enemy Number One, and she'd been overjoyed.

Then he'd saved everyone from the ghost king. And she hadn't believed he was good, part of the thirty-four percent of Amity that didn't.

Heck, she _still _wasn't entirely sure whether or not he was 'evil'.

But he was Danny, Danny Fenton, right? Sweet, innocent Danny Fenton who could never be evil.

But then, he was Danny Phantom, too.

Still . . . he was Danny. It wasn't likely that he would even have the _nerve _to do something _evil_.

Of course, it wasn't likely that she could've gotten stuck in an alternate dimension, either.

"Is there anything I can do for you, Valerie?" Danny was asking.

Val shook her head, laying it on the Fenton's kitchen table. "No thank you, Danny. You really don't have to do anything for anyone," she told him after a beat. "Would you like to go somewhere? Do something?"

His look became slightly nervous. "Only if you would, Valerie."

She sighed. This was something to take her mind off of Danny . . . the other Danny. "No, Danny. Something _you _would like to do. Before you became a slave, what did you like to do?"

His expression relaxed just slightly. This was a factual question, anyway, Val knew. It might be a little better. "I . . . I enjoyed . . . playing video games . . .Valerie . . ." he replied uncertainly. "I think . . ."

Mrs. Fenton, who was cooking dinner, but listening intently to any conversation between her son and Val, spoke up. "We have an old version of Slammin' Sumo Showdown upstairs . . . in Danny's old room."

Val smiled. "Well, let's go play that, then."

Valerie, who'd been ignoring them as best she could up to this point, turned to Danny and Val. "I have to put my foot down, here. I'm not letting him play video games. He shouldn't be calling you 'Valerie' either . . . the proper term is 'milady,' or 'Mistress Gray.'"

"I told him to call me that. Oh, just keep this in mind; your father owns him technically, because you're a minor, and he's going to give him back to Mr. and Mrs. Fenton. They'll make him legal again. And so you might as well get used to this."

Val only barely caught the corners of Maddie's lips turn up, slightly.

Valerie growled, and slammed her head onto the table. "Whatever," she grumbled.

Val took Danny by the hand, and led him up the stairs. She'd visited his room before, in her universe, so she knew where it was. Once they were up there, she looked him over, and then leaned in, gently ripping the rough fabric collar off of his neck.

His hands almost instantly shot up, tracing the area where the neckband was previously. "V - Valerie . . . I can't . . ."

"You're not a house pet, Danny," she said to him softly.

"I . . am . . . Valerie." Judging by the look in his eyes, he thought he'd answered right. Had Damon and the other her played that sort of mind game with Danny?

She'd kill them if they had.

"No, you're not. You're a human being. And . . hopefully . . . you'll be treated like one. Soon."

Danny's expression faltered, slightly, and Val could've sworn that she'd seen tears well up in his eyes. "I'm not human, milady."

"Yes, you are," Val sighed, not noticing the switch back to 'milady'. Deciding to put this aside before he could comment further on how _inferior _he was (her heart couldn't take it, not with _her_ Danny missing and after all the other slander he'd said about himself), she added, "Let's play Slammin' Sumo Showdown. Do you remember how?" .

"Yes, Valerie." His face was blank once again. Val walked over and turned on the GamePyramid.

Dun-da dunny-dunny dunna . . . on and on went the SSS music. It had been (at least) two years since this had been turned on, judging by what Val knew, and it still worked like a charm. Lucky.

She picked up the controller hesitantly (when was the last time she had time for this?), and motioned for Danny to sit down. "C'mon," Val said.

Danny obediently came over and sat down stiffly. "Pick up the controller," Val instructed slowly.

He did so. "Now let's play!"

They played a rather slow, awkward game. Val had grown unaccustomed to the way of the video game, as had Danny. Though he probably would have been better off, had he not been completely unwilling to do _anything _to beat Val - he simply did his best to hurt _his_ character.

Val tried to go easy on him, and of course, she did. But in the end, she just gave up. This was pointless. "You _can _try to beat me, you know," she said. "Or you can try to beat the computer."

Flipping a switch on her controller, she moved to his bed and watched. Danny had taken her last statement as an order, and did his best to defeat the computer-commanded digital sumo wrestler. She swore she saw a hint of a smile on his face.

_Meanwhile . . ._

"Why are you doing this to me, Mrs. Fenton? Why?" Valerie whined suddenly.

"Why am I doing what?"

"Taking Danny away from me? There is no where in the Ghost Zone a ghost as_ gorgeous _as Danny. I could very well end up with one of those hideous goo-blobs. Not something I want to look at every single day."

Though her back was turned, Valerie could tell Mrs. Fenton was angry. "Your father was planning on _hiring _a human to do your housework, Valerie. And if he wants to give Danny back . . . that's not up to you. Have you ever stopped loving someone for no good reason, even though you're supposed to love them unconditionally? I have. I still remember the hurt look on his face, too, when we shipped him off . . . It hurts more now, obviously, but still . . . And then Jazz went crazy, and now she's in a coma. The doctors suspect it has to do with Danny."

"You didn't stop loving him, Mrs. Fenton. You just thought you did," came a voice from the stairs.

"Thank you, Valerie . . . that means a lot," Maddie said weakly.

Valerie's face turned red again. She hated Val . . . oh, how she hated Val. Was that technically self-loathing?

Val sat across the table from Valerie. "He's playing that game."

Valerie glared at her, then noticed what was in Val's hand. "You took off his collar!" she hissed.

"He's not a dog."

"No, he's a ghost. A filthy, rotten ghost who has to wear a collar, because that's what filthy, rotten ghosts do."

"Get. Out. Of. My. House. Now," Maddie boomed. "I won't have you talking about my son that way."

Valerie opened her mouth, shut it, and ran out of the house. It would do some good to talk to her father anyway.


	14. Chapter Twelve: Animal Abuse

**Chapter Twelve**

_Gray Manor, April 24, 2006_

Valerie knew that if she had any chance of going back to a normal life, one where Danny Fenton (no, not Fenton. That boy didn't have a last name and never would, if she had anything to do with it) was her slave, this was it.

So now, here she was, entering through the front door of her mansion, right into the foyer where her father was waiting, a slightly scolding expression on his face. "Why'd you sneak out, Valerie?"

"Um . . . Did the other me tell you about . . . you know?"

His look changed, and he ran over and hugged her. "You're back! Did she leave? Where's Danny?"

Valerie scowled into her father's chest, and pulled away from his embrace. "She and Danny are still in the Fentons' kitchen. Some Danny from her world came, and went so find some guy called Clockwork that could put her back. They all told me you were going to give Danny back to Mr. and Mrs. Fenton . . ."

Damon bit his lip, and looked hard at her. "I'm sorry, sweetie, but that's just how it's going to be. Besides, he _is_ half-human."

"This isn't fair, Dad! He's_ half ghost_, and ghosts are sniveling barbaric things . . . She took off Danny's collar! Just . . . urg."

This wasn't happening. It just wasn't. She was Daddy's Little Girl. She got _anything_ she wanted. And she wanted Danny.

"Valerie . . ." Damon warned. "Mrs. Fenton is not only a dear friend, but a mother who has lost both of her children. As a father myself, I think I owe it to her just to give one of them back."

Valerie's eyes watered for a moment before she ran upstairs. That didn't work. Oh, what on Earth was she going to do now . . .?

And why did she care so much? Yes, Danny was cute. And yes, there probably weren't any other ghosts nearly as wonderful as him, she knew the majority were floating blob-things that would be slithering around her house, leaving more slime than they cleaned up.

And he was _hers_. He was a gift, as well. She got an A on a mid-term paper, and Damon gave Danny to her. He was her pet, her housekeeper, her cook, _hers_.

She hadn't mistreated him, either. She kept him clothed, fed, and let him sleep, per his human limitations. Valerie may have beaten him on occasion . . . but . . .

It didn't matter. She still had him. And if he was going to be taken away, she'd make his last few days with her heck.

_Meanwhile . . ._

_(alternate universe Ghost Zone)_

Danny knew he was flying too slowly. But he was depressed. Valerie hated him. She'd always hate him. Just because of Cujo, and then because of Walker. The messing up her life, he might've gotten away with. She was happier now, anyway. But after the ghost invasion . . .

"Hey, punk! The hunters will be here soon! You need to get in here!"

Danny stopped and whirled around. Speak of the devil. Walker was behind him, staring intently. "This is the one place they haven't found yet."

"Uh . . ." Was Walker trying to help him?

Ember suddenly appeared next to Walker. "What's taking so long, Walker?" she hissed. "They'll be here any minute!"

"This kid won't get in the shelter."

"Leave him!"

"I'll be fine. I have to get to Clockwork . . ."

Ember and Walker gaped. Danny had never realized Walker _could _gape. "No one sees Clockwork, man," Ember stated, awestruck.

"I'm a friend of his," he replied.

They both blinked, and Ember turned around and left. Walker gave an almost forlorn half-smile, then followed her.

_People sure are different here_, Danny thought, then shook his head and flew on.

_FentonWorks, April 24, 2006_

Val expected Valerie to come in there, and take Danny away. She'd gotten to know that brat quite well in the past few hours, and it seemed like something that Valerie would do.

What she didn't expect is a startlingly pained scream coming from down the street. Danny's scream.

Maddie looked up from her cooking and ran out the door faster than Val would've thought possible. She followed suit quickly.

Before Val even rounded the corner, she heard Mr. Fenton's enraged and anguished cry of, "_What the heck did you do to my son_?"

And when she did . . . she saw just about the worst thing a girl in love could. Her crush was halfway on his knees, greenish-red blood oozing from a gash in his forehead.

Seeing _herself _standing over him, holding the assault weapon (a brick) and smirking triumphantly didn't bode well, either.

Valerie stared at Val and Maddie, a smug smile playing over her lips. "You can't do much about this, Mrs. Fenton."

"You're . . . evil . . ." Val finally managed to breathe out. "You possessive little snot . . . you couldn't . . ." Suddenly she remembered something. Something from four days ago that might really come in handy. A grin mirroring her alternate self's slid onto her features. "You really couldn't. As your father so kindly put it, 'it's animal abuse.'"

Maddie turned to stare at Val in an odd mix of hurt and a 'you're-brilliant' stare.

"Sh-She's right, I'm one of the people who cr-created the laws about how gh-ghosts sh-should be tr-treated," Mrs. Fenton stuttered. Val didn't blame the usually well collected woman for sounding nervous - her son was in a standing faint with blood dripping from his head. Oh yeah.

"Danny!" Val exclaimed upon this epiphany, running over to tend to his wound. She left Maddie to deal with the legal matters as ire began to once again infect her still worry-stricken mind.

She put a hand over the injury, applying as much pressure as she could. Danny's semi-consciousness managed to wear off, and he collapsed in a heap, landing (luckily) in her arms. Bile began to rise in Val's throat. She shoved it down.

Yelling at Valerie would have to wait.

"M-Mrs. Fenton . . . You have to report her," Val began as calmly as she could.

Maddie nodded gravely. "I will."

Val finally had the sense to drag Danny away from Valerie, who was still holding the brick like Mrs. Benowitz from _Dead Teacher II_. Though not nearly as confidently, now.

"You - you really don't have to do that . . . I mean . . ."

"Shut it," Val snapped. "You just attacked my best friend."

Valerie glared at her, nothing to say in return. Val returned the gaze with full fury.


	15. Chapter Thirteen: Serious Trouble

**Chapter Thirteen**

_492 Main Street, April 24, 2006_

One must realize, at this point, that though Valerie was being entirely unreasonable, she was, as it were, a spoiled rotten girl who'd grown used to having a really cute super-powered boy serving her night and day, hand and foot. It simply wasn't in the blood of the multi-millionaire community to make such Drastic Lifestyle Changes.

But bludgeoning that really cute super-powered boy on the head with a random brick was crossing one of the few lines she hadn't already crossed. Blatantly insulting him in front of his mother was one thing. By law, she owned him. It was her right. As it was Maddie's right to kick Valerie out of her house.

Storming into the house above mentioned and taking Danny off was acceptable, if infuriating, with the same explanation as above.

Val knew that no matter how _angry _those last few things made her, heck would've frozen over before any results were gotten from this forsaken dimension. With the exception of her 'father', and Danny's parents, no one gave a flip.

This was (though it hurt her to even _think _this) animal abuse.

And there were _penalties _for animal abuse.

So, locked in a death stare with her alternate self, she couldn't help but think smugly, _This little brat is so in serious trouble._

Bad mental banter, but after awhile, it made Val laugh, breaking the shared glare.

Maddie had run off, in all likelihood to call the proper authorities, leaving them alone.

"What the heck are you laughing about?" Valerie snapped.

"You're going down, that's why," Val chuckled. "So shut it. Danny needs medical attention."

"The ghost doesn't deserve any medical attention. And at the moment, I'm in charge of him, so he's not getting to the vet -"

Val shuddered, cutting Valerie off. "That's _wrong_. The _vet_? _Really_?"

". . . Get back to your own culture."

"Ahem." Damon now stood behind his daughter, eyes narrowed dangerously, and Val couldn't help but giggle a bit. "That would be for Mrs. Fenton to decide. I signed the papers legally giving him to her. She may do as she pleases at this point."

Valerie slowly turned around. "Uh . . . Dad. Nice to . . . see . . . you?" she choked nervously.

Maddie, at that point, rushed out. "I called the - Damon!"

"Danny's yours, Maddie," he stated, monotone, too livid with Valerie to show his happiness for her. He looked down at the girl. "You've done some pretty terrible things today, young lady."

Val snickered. No kidding.

"I . . . erm . . . well . . . you see . . ."

Damon grabbed Valerie by the ear, and dragged her off. "Tell them to come by Gray Manor, Mrs. Fenton," he called back to Maddie as he disappeared around the corner. Valerie's cries of protest overlapped his voice.

Suddenly, Val remembered the unconscious ghost hybrid in her arms. "M-Mrs. Fenton, he needs help."

She lifted Danny up as best she could (considering her physical condition, that was pretty well), and handed him over to his mother. "Thank you, Valerie," Maddie told her, then carried him inside FentonWorks. Valerie shrugged.

"_Time out_!"

Val heard this before she blacked out, just for a minute. Then, there was weight around her neck and . . .

She was looking up into the eyes of an old man. Then a child. Then a young adult. All of the eyes were wise and worn with age, and somehow, they made Val trust the man they were attached to.

"Would you like to go home, Miss Gray?" Clockwork asked.

"I . . . erm . . . are you Clockwork?" she asked awkwardly.

The sagely ghost nodded. "I am Clockwork, master of time."

Blinking, Val reached up and ran a hand through her hair, and looked down. "What about Danny? My Danny? Is he okay? Does he still . . ."

He raised a hand to stop her talking. "All will be answered in time, Miss Gray." Clockwork waved a hand, and a swirling blue vortex appeared behind it. "Go."

Gulping, Val bit her tongue as she stepped through uncertainly. It wasn't usually in her to trust a ghost, but after the past almost-week she felt anything was possible.

And then she _knew _anything was possible, standing in front of the window in a room she knew was hers.

_Really _hers.


	16. Epilogue: See You Later, Phantom

**Epilogue**

_Casper High, April 25, 2006_

_(ordinary universe)_

"Is she here yet?" Danny asked nervously. The one class he had with Valerie, English, was just about to start. The suspense was nerve-wrecking for the recently discovered ghost hybrid.

Sam sighed and shook her head. "No, Danny. Relax. The worst she might do . . . well, it's not really comforting . . ."

"I'm dead, or my secret's out, or . . ."

Tucker put a hand on Danny's shoulder. "She won't expose you, dude. She has her own secret to look out for. So even if she kills you during lunch, or after school, or something, 's'not like you're gonna end up on the cover of _The National Investigator_."

Both Sam and Danny glared at the techno-geek. "Not helping," Danny growled.

_Cree-eek._

The classroom door opened. Danny knew it was her the moment he heard her foot get through the door. Her extra-heavy shoes, designed to hold her extra hover board in the soles. Just in case.

"Phew. I can't believe we were almost late!" Valerie said to someone unseen.

"I know. Lancer would, like, kill us, or something!" Star's screechy, whiny voice came from beyond the door.

Valerie chuckled, and walked in the room completely, followed by Star. Danny gulped.

Star sat down next to Kwan, leaving only one chair left in the entire room.

The one next to Danny.

Valerie hung her backpack by one strap from the back of her chair, reaching in and grabbing her copy of _Catcher in the Rye_ and her English textbook. She sat them down and wiggled in behind her desk.

Danny sweated throughout the entire class, glancing at her nervously, but she did nothing.

Life went on for another hour.

Finally, Lancer released them, and Danny walked in between Sam and Tucker out the door, really hoping to avoid his ex-girlfriend at least until lunch. He valued his life, after all. Even if he _was _half dead.

But Valerie called him aside in the hall, and Danny had no choice but to go. "Tell my parents I love them," Danny whispered to Sam and Tucker.

Sam rolled her eyes, and Tucker shook his head, but after he'd turned around, they both let worry seep into their features.

Valerie was leaning against the wall, crinkling a poster for the upcoming school dance. Danny attempted to act nonchalant, and leaned on the wall as well. "Hi," he said awkwardly.

"Hi," she said, a good deal much more casually. "I was . . . wondering if you'd, maybe, like to catch a movie or grab some dinner this Friday?"

Danny blinked rapidly. Huh . . .? Then he shook his head, smiled, and shrugged. "Okay. I'll pick you up at six."

She smiled. "Six it is." Valerie leaned in and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "See you Friday, Phantom."

As she walked off, Danny felt the blood rise in his cheeks, and he turned his back to wall, then slid downwards. There was no denying the smile on his face.

Sam and Tucker rushed over to Danny as soon as they noticed Valerie had left him. "Well?" they demanded.

"Can you cover for me Friday? I have a date."


End file.
